Chapter 13: Her Sacrifice

Crickets of strange forms whistled in the night, barely heard. Their legs moved along against each other like a violin and continued playing the melody of the night. Animals of Tamaran joined in with its sound and croaked and chirped along until the first fresh blanket of rain started coming down to the ground, followed by a flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder.

Immediately all of the animals disappeared. Some sea creatures croaked or opened their narrow mouths and dove into the water of the lake in front of the Tamaranean palace. Birds shivered up their feathers and tossed their bodies into the sky and came to nearby trees for shelter. Loved ones cuddled inside their wing to protect them from the rain. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, for the moment flashing their small eyes blue and red.

The dark skies were covered with black gray clouds, pouring out hard pebbles of rain, tapping hard against the ground like a drum roll. From over the sky, a darker shade than the night itself soared. A long cape flowed behind their back as their arms spread, controlling where to go. The figure wore a hood over their face, hiding their identity from anyone who would dare to see.

The figure slowly glided down to the ground, landing perfectly on their feet. The cape fell down and wrapped naturally around their body, hiding any sign of flesh from their bodies. The figure turned around with their black colored face, but there was a hint of color in the place where their eyes were supposed to be. Hands made sure that the hood held still and turned back around.

Slowly, the dark shade walked across the garden beside the large lake. Frogs with four eyes looked up as they rolled out their tongues to catch a last-minute snack from the flies. When they looked up with their yellow eyes, they croaked and jumped back into the water as if the presence of the figure scared them so much.

The figure tug in their hands inside the cloak as the person quickened their pace by the sound of a twig snapping nearby, frightening the shade from its element of surprise by hiding, blending in with the night.

Up ahead, there was a cavern, as low as the ground, but there were a door there, that had stairs leading deeper and deeper to the crust of Tamaran, or rather the caverns that are buried deep under the lake. The wooden door was covered with locks by its knob, intimidating that no one should enter.

But the figure didn't worry of such circumstances and instead approached the door, reaching their long fingers to the wood. Surprisingly, their strength as great as Hercules himself, they pierced through the wooden patel. With a groan and wood snapping with rock, the locks exploded into gray dust and the door was thrown off to the side, swinging hard, but it didn't break.

The figure stood in front of the door as a jolt of lightning crossed the sky behind them, but it didn't reveal the face that was under the hood. The rain poured hard on the figure now and the person adjusted the hood as they climbed down the stairs, their cape flowing behind their back as they were swallowed by the darkness.

The shade looked around the caverns, seeing the pillars of white rock shining as a flash of lightning caught its range. Torches lilted up across this narrow path, but the shade was able to see. Their footsteps splashed over water puddles. The ceiling dripped water from the lake down to her feet. Rats squeaked from afar as they try to dig into their holes for shelter in fear of getting wet.

The shade gracefully glided over the pathways, taking its sharp turns well as if this person was really a phantom or a ghost flying through its domain. The figure continued on walking alone through the dark caverns until the wall of torches grew dimmer and dimmer until it was too dim to actually see light.

Rubbing their hands nervously inside the cloak, their head rose up and looked around the mucky walls of wet rock and grass and dirt. It sparkled also with some salts and minerals as water dripped down along the wall.

Their body shivered with a dreadful cold feeling as the figure came into a row of steel bar cells where prisoners were bound to be tortured until there was nothing but skin and bones. No sunlight would comfort them from their sorrows and woes. Nothing could save them from this place, at least not without outside help.

Most of the cells were empty except with crumbs of food, but those were taken away by the hands of rats and they chewed quietly for their bit of food. But there was no cell that was in fact full.

The figure turned their attention to the cell that was filled with no more than mere teenagers. Their wounded eyes were closed and their bodies curled up in balls for warmth as a cool breeze crowded them all. The figure seemed shorter when they saw one of them, the mechanical one, wasn't glowing in blue and his body was filled with dents and scratches even against his metal body.

One teenager, smaller in size and as bright as red, cuddled under the arm of this unconscious boy, his eyes were forced to be closed and the shade noticed dry tear marks in his cheeks and it almost made the person fall back with shock. The green colored teenager was in a ball, covered with a dark violet cloak who belonged to the pale girl that slept beside him, her face pained as she breathed in and out deeply.

Sleeping close against the bars of the cell, was the Boy Wonder. His hair had lost its flare and feel down to his masked eyes. His cheeks were flushed with indigo bruises. His long yellow cape wrapped around his trembling body, but it was covered with holes and there was a black lining from fire that must have burnt his clothing.

The figure kneeled down on their knees and crawled closer and closer to the cell. Long tanned fingers curled around the bars as the figure's head, still covered by the hood, moved forward, observing Robin as he slept. As if his senses were strong, he opened his eyes and turned toward the blank face. He gasped and moved away, his eyes widened.

"Who are you?" He asked precautiously. The figure looked at him, with their head tilted to the side in a strange gesture that seemed to calm him, but only just a little. "Who are you?" Robin asked again, reaching out his hands to touch the hood.

"Hey! You!" A booming voice shouted and made his hand jerk back. The shade turned their head as two guards, wearing shining armor and holding long swears came from the corner and pointed their weapons at the figure.

"What are you doing here! Stand up and show yourself!"

Slowly, the figure moved away from Robin's side and stood up carefully. The figure stood straight up, their head looked over the soldiers who were barely protected by the dark. Their face was still hidden under the hood, their body in a curve, arms at their sides, and their feet didn't touch the floor as if floating in midair like a real ghost.

The soldiers grumbled a little in fear, trying hard not to lose their grip of their weapons. Although they couldn't see the intruder's eyes, they were still awfully frightened by its stare.

"S-Show yourself!" One of the soldiers screamed out, his voice echoed throughout the rest of the caverns and didn't bounce back to them.

The shade raised an arm up, close to its hooded face, their hidden eyes glaring at the soldiers. Robin widened his eyes inside the cell as the figure's fist started to glow in lime green, softening his injured face and shining his coal black hair.

The soldiers gasped at the sight as if they were seeing magic being performed.

"I think the command would be..." The voice, so low as a whisper but as strong as a panther, came from the figure that stood hidden in the shadows in front of the soldiers, covered in black and for some reason, the figure smelt of death.

"For you to stand down." The shade said and flashed bolts of light at the soldiers. Not even their armors could protect them and they groaned as they struggled to breathe and eventually fell down, unconscious. Their helmets fell beside them and the swears clanged against the rock pathway.

As the sound of pain came, everyone in the cell opened their eyes wide with alert and caution. They forced their bodies up, although they were chained down by shackles. They widened their eyes in shock when they saw the dark shade standing beside their cell.

"Who's that?" Beast Boy questioned, his voice shaking with fear.

Robin sat silently as the figure turned its body toward the Teen Titans. The redhead, Redfire, sat protectively beside Cyborg, wishing that he could do more to protect his friend. The figure looked at each of the Titans, with its blank and empty stare. Raven tried to catch a thought from this figure, but it was like trying to penetrate through a wall. Impossible, she thought.

The figure stood silently in front of the cell for a long while before the figure decided to swing their hands over their head, slowly removing the hood away from their face to finally reveal his true identity. Everyone held in a gasp when they saw long flowing red hair coming down feminine shoulders over the cloak and bright emerald eyes looked at them warmly as ever.

"Starfire!" They all shouted with shock and yet with joy.

Starfire scanned around them quickly and then placed a long finger over her pink lips, making a long hushing sound. "Hush my friends." She said, her voice spoke quickly. She turned her head frankly, her eyes hoping that no one was near. She turned back to the others. "We must be silent."

She looked at the lock on door and aimed her arm at it. Again, her fist glowed intensively green and within a second of light over her beautiful face, it flashed in front of her and melted the lock from its place. Everyone opened their mouths in a happy way as Starfire opened the bar doors and entered inside.

She tumbled to the floor as she wrapped her arms around her friends individually, holding Robin tighter than anyone else for as long as she could.

"I've missed you so much..." She whimpered as tears blurred her vision until it was too heavy and it slid down her cheeks.

"Me, too Star." Robin whispered to her, his face buried inside her hair. Starfire looked away and saw Cyborg. She moved away from Robin and looked at him sadly.

"What has happened to him?" She asked softly.
"He lost power when they shocked him." Redfire said, his voice choking as he tried to speak.
"We've tried for days to get him to wake up. But he's too much of a machine now." Beast Boy replied, almost ready to cry.

"We can't revive him." Raven said, defeated.

"No, my friends." Starfire replied and everyone turned to her. "We must not give up hope on our dear friend. First, I shall free you from those shackles."

Starfire stood up and the room was lilted up with her starbolts as she melted the shackles off of the Teen Titans. Beast Boy felt around his neck, his eyes wide in total gratitude as he transformed into any possible animal as he could. But then Starfire looked at him and an idea popped into her mind as she glanced down at the shackles, fully made from metal.

"Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy turned to her, his green eyes meeting her own. "Yeah Star?"
"I want you to transform into a-a-an eel!"
"Why?"
"Please! I have found a way to save Cyborg."

"How--" Robin looked at Cyborg, but then when he looked at Starfire, he immediately understood as she kneeled down and picked up what was left of the chains. They were metal. And if Beast Boy turned into an eel.

"The electricity pulsing through Beast Boy to the chains can recharge Cyborg!" Robin shouted with joy. The others' faces lightened up as they all crowded around Starfire to help her pick up the chains and placed them around Cyborg's body. Beast Boy stood beside Starfire and when they met each other's gaze, they smiled and nodded.

Beast Boy looked at Cyborg sympathetically. "Hang in there, buddy." He said before his eyes dilated in the night and he transformed into a wingling electric eel. Starfire grabbed Beast Boy carefully, her body shocked with his charge, but she didn't mind his buzzing.The hairs on her arms and on her head rose up as she placed Beast Boy over the chains.

The chains around shaking around, pulsing the electric current through without actually melting the metal. The chains glowed blue as they reached Cyborg. It zapped into his body and all of the Titans watched with amazement in their eyes as Cyborg glowed in bright blue.

For the moment, Beast Boy couldn't hold on, but as Starfire closed her eyes, green light intertwined with Beast Boy's light and came into Cyborg's body, helping him absorb more energy and so Beast Boy could continue performing the process.

They held on until Beast Boy was drained of energy and he transformed back into a human teenage boy. He tumbled back, his head lightheaded and he placed a hand on his head before falling. Raven caught him in her arms and she gave him a small grin.

"You did well, Beast Boy."
Beast Boy looked up and stared into her eyes, seeing the sincerity in her eyes. He smiled back, "Thanks Raven."

Both of them turned their heads from the sound of a beeping, red light that flashed on Cyborg's eye. Slowly, his body was beeping and humming with the machinery built inside of him and his body glowed back to its pale blue color.

Everyone's eyes were full with tears as Cyborg slowly sat up, shaking off the chains to the ground. He groaned as he rubbed his head from a painful headache. For the moment, his vision was black. But then, red lines of information stormed across his vision, reminding him that he had full power.

"Arg...how long was I out for?" He said lowly.

"Cyborg!" Everyone cheered. Starfire glided to him and wrapped her arms around him in a mighty hug. He widened his eyes in shock to see Starfire again after, according to his systematics, two weeks. "Star! You're here!"

Tears formed in her eyes as she held the only big brother she ever had. "I'm so glad you're alive, Cyborg." She said softly.

"Me, too. And so refreshed!" He said as he and Starfire embraced. He looked at the others in awe. "How did you guys do it? It's like this new energy is making me feel stronger, healthier. How?"

Redfire smiled, "Well, you can thank Beast Boy and Starfire. Both of them gave you electric energy by using the chains as chords to you so they could go into your body."

"Wow..." Cyborg said, looking at Beast Boy. "Thanks, BB."
"Hehe, no problem. But if it weren't for Star, I wouldn't be able to hold on that long."

"Thanks guys." Cyborg said, restraining himself from crying.

Robin stood up and escaped from the cell, reaching over his shoulder on the other wall, grabbing his ultity belt and it snapped around his waist. He looked up as the others joined him by his side. "Let's go, team. We're getting outta this place."

Everyone started running toward the other end of the caverns, their feet pounding against the card hard floor. But then Raven turned her head and noticing that there was someone not following them. She stopped abruptly. "Starfire?"

Everyone stopped as well and they turned their heads to see Starfire still standing. Her hands were clasped together in front of her chest to stop them from trembling. She gulped as she felt their confused stares looking at her as she started to cry.

"Starfire, what's wrong?" Robin asked as they slowly approached her.

Starfire sniffled and looked at her friends as a crystalline tear much brighter than the darkness, slid down her cheek. "I cannot go with you."

"What! Why?"

Starfire's knees started to grow weak, struggling to keep her steady and in balance, but she couldn't hold on much longer. Redfire looked over his sister confusingly as she looked at them again with her sad, shameful eyes.

"I can't. I must save my people."
"Star..." Robin started, but she interrupted him, "If I don't marry Karras, he will surely kill my people."
"No Star!" Robin widened his eyes.

"No Star, don't do it!" Beast Boy cried out in disbelief, "You can't marry the guy. He killed your parents and surely--"
"And surely he would kill you all next if I refuse!" Starfire's voice screeched and her voice echoed all around them. The walls shook and small pebbles of rock and water came down from the ceiling.

"That is why I am here. I am here to help you escape so you can reach as far as you can from this place." Starfire waved her arms as tears came to her eyes and wouldn't stop falling down her face, tormented by the hurt looks of her friends. "And if I do come with you, he will destroy all that is left of my planet. I can't bear that..." She bent her head down and whimpered, "I can't..."

"But Starfire, please...come with us..." Robin pleaded, his mask wet with the tears that formed in his eyes, "There's no point in going without you..."

"Robin, my mind has been made up. I must do what is right. Not for you, not for Karras, not for my family, not even for my kingdom, Robin."

Starfire clasped her chest with her pale hand. Her face was wet and pale with tears and strands of hair stick against her face, in front of her eyes. "But for me. This decision is for me. This is...the first and last decision I will ever make for myself. But I will know, once you all are safe, that it was the right thing to do."

Redfire stepped forward to Starfire. "I'll stay, too!" He cried out.
"NO!" Starfire said as Redfire forced himself into Starfire's arms, crying with so many tears he couldn't count. "I want to stay here with you, Kori..." Redfire said as he felt Starfire's hair. "You're the only family I have left..."

"No..." Starfire said as she pulled Redfire away from her. She kneeled down, looking straight into his aqua eyes. "You're wrong." She looked over his shoulder to the Teen Titans and gave off a sad smile. She touched Redfire's chin for him to look into her emerald eyes.

"You do have a family. Right here, you can be a part of the Teen Titans, who grew in me for me to considering them as family. They are good people, Ryand'r. They will take care of you..." Starfire brushed his dirty shoulders and smiled at him lightly. "You can be part of the life you've always dreamt of. You can be part of the world that I've learned to love. Earth. Earth will be the perfect place for you, koriel."

Redfire shook his head. "No..."

Starfire looked at him sadly, observing his figure. "Crying won't stop this, koriel. You must be brave."
Robin looked up at Starfire.

"You must be strong."
Cyborg glanced at Starfire with a watery human eye.

"You must understand...that not all things will come exactly as you want them."
Beast Boy rubbed his hand against his green arm and he scratched his pointy ear.

"And also that we can't change what is waiting for us."
Raven sniffled as tears came into her eyes.

"But we must learn from these things, Redfire. And that is what makes us live each day of our lives. And now, I'm giving you that chance to live. Live, Redfire. And be free!"

She moved away from Redfire and turned her fragile body away from the others, her teeth biting on her fingernails. All of the Teen Titans were silent, unsure what to do or whether to move.

They were about to speak up finally, but Starfire's screaming voice overpowered their own, "Go Now! Go Now! Leave me!" She shouted with a scratchy voice, her lips quivering as her tears touched her lips.

Everyone jumped from her shouting and they did as they were told. Beast Boy grabbed Redfire's shoulder and slowly dragged him along with the others as they walked gloomy into the dark passageway to the other side of the caverns, where it ends at the other side of the lake, far away from the palace. Cyborg and Raven looked at each other sadly as they too walked away.

Robin turned his body around and started walking away when he heard her voice calling him name, "Robin!"

He turned around just in time before Starfire stormed from the ground to him, taking his face in her hands, and pressing her lips oh-so tenderly against his lips, with tears mingling with his own as they came down to their jointed lips. Robin held Starfire tightly in his arms as they brushed their lips against each other, gasping in for air, and letting their tongues touched once again for the last time.

Their lips popped as they slowly pulled away from where their lips could reach. Robin looked at Starfire's beautiful face with longing as he touched her cheek and caressed her skin.

"Star..."
"Good-bye, Robin." She said and moved away from his embrace.

Starfire turned around and placed the black hood over her head, already walking away from the Boy Wonder, leaving him alone to stand dumbfounded and sad. Raven came from the shadows and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her and they stared at each other sadly.

Robin and Raven slowly walked the opposite direction to where Starfire was heading. Deeper and deeper into the cavern they went until their bodies merged with the darkness and they became no one than shadows of the night, with only a word trapped inside their minds.

"Good-bye..."